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Benin has named acclaimed American filmmaker Spike Lee and his wife, Tonya Lewis Lee, a producer and author, as ambassadors to African-Americans in the United States.
The couple will serve as “thematic” ambassadors, tasked with increasing awareness and bolstering initiatives that strengthen Benin’s ties with individuals of African descent.
The agreement was finalized during a visit to Cotonou, Benin’s capital, last week, according to a report by French public broadcaster RFI.
The government has stated that this initiative will facilitate the reconnection of “people of African descent around the world to their historical, cultural, and spiritual roots.”
The West African nation also anticipates that this appointment will promote cultural tourism. Benin has introduced multiple programs designed to encourage those of African descent to reclaim their heritage and, where applicable, pursue citizenship.
Last year, legislation was enacted offering nationality to individuals with an African ancestor displaced from their homeland during the transatlantic slave trade.
The ambassadorial appointments follow the recent launch of a website where descendants of enslaved Africans can apply for citizenship.
RFI reports that Tonya Lewis Lee was among hundreds who applied and received a positive response, visiting Benin last year.
In 2019, Ghana launched its “Year of Return” campaign, encouraging people of African heritage to return to the continent.
Spike Lee has previously disclosed that DNA analysis traced his father’s lineage to Cameroon and his mother’s to Sierra Leone. The specific country of ancestry for Tonya Lewis Lee has not been publicly released.
Both have consistently championed civil rights and social justice within the US through their respective bodies of work. Spike Lee’s films often center on African-American experiences, exploring themes of race, identity, and justice.
The Benin government stated that “through their long-standing commitment to justice, their exceptional creativity, and their global reach,” both have “profoundly shaped the contemporary narrative of the African diaspora.”
Neither Spike Lee nor Tonya Lewis Lee have issued public statements regarding their appointments.
The move has been generally well-received by residents of Cotonou.
Prospère Yehoume, a 27-year-old student architect, told the BBC that it sends a “strong cultural message, which could be good publicity for Benin.”
Carlos Biogbé, who works in marketing, expressed optimism, highlighting the potential for attracting actors and directors to film in the country.
Basilia Hinvi, a secondary school student, concurred that it was a positive development but questioned why renowned US-Beninois actor Djimon Hounsou was not selected.
Benin’s coastline forms part of what was historically known as the Slave Coast, a primary departure point for enslaved Africans transported across the Atlantic Ocean to the Americas.
Between 1580 and 1727, the Kingdom of Whydah, a major slave-trading hub located on what is now Benin’s coast, is estimated to have exported over a million Africans to the US, the Caribbean, and Brazil.
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